Crib Notes

Mac McNeilly (right)

Chad Radford:  You’re a local guy, or you used to be.

Mac McNeilly:  Yeah, I grew up in Atlanta and have a lot of really fond memories of hanging out there, but ever since ’89 I’ve been making Chicago and the Chicago area my home.

How did you make the jump from playing in Atlanta bands like 86 and Phantom 309 to the Jesus Lizard?

Well, 86 played a show in Austin, Texas, and I met David Yow. He and David Sims were at the club where we played. We introduced ourselves to each other and I said ‘I like the way you sing and I like Scratch Acid,’ and he said ‘I like the way you play drums.’ So we both said something like maybe some day we can do something together musically. It was one of those things where you say something that would really be a great thing to do, but don’t think anything will come of it. We traded numbers anyway and I got a call from David Yow a couple of years later. He said ‘we’re putting this thing together in Chicago and we have an EP that we’ve done with a drum machine. I can send you a tape because we want to put a live drummer in there and actually be a band.’ When they did the EP it was just a recording project. I don’t think they had any plans to make a rock band out of it, but they changed their mind and I went up in the summer of ’89 to try out. I was playing bass in Phantom 309, but I’m not a bass player and it was a way for me to get back to playing drums. David sent me a tape of the EP and I really liked what I heard. It was the kind of music that I could really adapt drumming to so I went up and it clicked right away.
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First the Nobel Peace Prize, now this. Forget the haters, it’s the lovers that Prez Barack Obama can’t seem to shake. (more…)

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Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small

The almighty MASTODON returns to its old stomping grounds to cap off a lineup of extreme metal mayhem. Converge and High on Fire also play blistering sets of soul-crushing riffs. But these are all paltry mortals who have been summoned to simply clear the stage for DETHKLOK, stars of Adult Swim’s “Metalocalypse.” Animated metal madmen William Murderface (bass), Nathan Explosion (frontman), Skwisgaar Skwigelf (lead guitar), Toki Wartooth (rhythm guitar), and Pickles (drums) will appear live, in the flesh — led by creator Brendon Small — to shred through such classic originals as “Bloodrocuted,” “Murmaider,” and “Hatredcopter,” as well as some new cuts from their latest, Dethalbum II. $34.50. 6:30 p.m. Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St. 404-659-9022. www.livenation.com.

For the purposes of this interview Brendon Small did most of the talking, but I was allowed one question with each member of the band.

Chad Radford: What goes in to putting on a live Dethklok show?

Brendon Small: We have a gigantic LCD screen behind us and we play to an hour-long animated show, and that’s the real star of the live show. Me and the musicians are kind of like the pit orchestra. The drummer has a click track running through his headset and he counts us in to all the tracks. The end result is that we’re supposed to sound like Dethklok, but we’re not supposed to look like Dethklok. We’re pretty much in the shadows so you can’t really see our faces, but there’s a really cool light show going on at the same time and we’re playing to picture. It’s almost like live scoring but every single downbeat is coinciding with a cut. It’s very systematic and very integrated.

You’re playing with real metal bands; Mastodon, Converge and High on Fire. I imagine that most metal heads have a good sense of humor, but have you encountered anyone who just doesn’t think that the show is cool or funny?

They usually don’t get as far as me — they usually don’t show up. If metal heads don’t get it, that’s cool and I’m fine with it. But honestly there’s nothing much to get, because we’re not making fun of metal with the show, that’s the big thing. If they don’t get that then I’m just confused. If they just don’t like the show that’s something that I can understand. If they don’t understand the joke than they probably don’t have much of a sense of humor at all — not that I’m saying our show is funny. We’re trying to be funny, and if it isn’t, I get why people don’t like it.

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COYOTE BONES: A band that feels your pain.

David Matysiak jokes that if Bruce Springsteen’s brooding Midwestern odysseys Nebraska and The River were meant to be part of a trilogy, the third installment is Coyote Bones’ Niobrara. Along with Jordan Noel (drums) and Heather Kemp (percussion), the former Jet By Day singer/guitarist has crafted an album that flows with unnerving tales about death, stifling religion, lost love and change. “It’s a really personal record for me; one that I had to make,” Matysiak says. “I was going through so much at the time that I became possessed. The record wrote itself.”

Songs such as “Piece of My Spine” and “Out at the Bar” are the ruminations of a damaged man coping with the death of his father and a crumbling relationship amid a new sense of self-discovery.Niobrara is a far cry from the clumsy, basement art party that Matysiak spearheaded with Coyote Bones’ 2007 debut, Gentleman on the Rocks.

Continue Reading “A river runs through Coyote Bones”

(Photo Courtesy Coco Art)

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Please note that the Wilke Family will be performing tonight at Eddie’s Attic.

Maverick string band the Wilkie Family singers (lead by King Wilkie) are playing at Eddie’s Attic tonight (Wed., Nov. 4).

According to the Wilkie Family’s Boston-based label, Casa Nueva:

The disk is a beguiling concept album, purportedly written and recorded by the dysfunctional Wilkie family as part of a music therapy program spearheaded by the mysterious Dr. Art… musically, it mixes early American stringband styles (from parlour ballads to old-time and bluegrass) with more contemporary influences — chamber-pop, brass-band music, and much more. Special guests on the disk include Robyn Hitchcock, Peter Rowan, David Bromberg, John McEuen, Abigail Washburn and Sam Parton (of Be Good Tanyas)… Their music has slowly evolved from hardcore traditional bluegrass to something quite undefinable.

“Videotape” (feat. Robyn Hitchcock) mp3

For more information contact Eddies Attic. 515 N. McDonough St. in Decatur. 404-377-4976

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Athens’ psychedelic indie rock outfit Twin Tigers have made their latest release, titled the Automatic EP, available as a free download.

In the meantime the band recently completed work on its debut full-length, Gray Waves, which is due out on the Brooklyn-based Old Flame Records in 2010.

Grey Waves‘ first single, “Automatic”

Click below to see their remaining November tour dates.

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AN ODOR OF SANCTITY: David Yow (second from left) and the Jesus Lizard, reunited

The first time I saw the Jesus Lizard play was Oct. 22, 1989. I was going to see the Rollins Band play at a scary little dive called the Lifticket in Omaha, Neb., in what was then a scary little neighborhood called Benson. These days, the Lifticket is a cleaner, bigger venue called the Waiting Room, and the neighborhood is a trendy bar district with a farmer’s market open on Sundays. But it was a rough part of town in those days, hardly a place for a 14-year-old kid on a school night.

Tim Moss was the record store guy at a local punk rock record shop called Drastic Plastic. He sold me my first cassettes by Dinosaur Jr., Bauhaus, the Pixies, Big Black, Minor Threat, the Minutemen, etc. — all gateway drugs. These days, Tim plays in the band Porn, and is the road manager for bands such as the Melvins and Faith No More. Back then, he sang for Ritual Device, the scheduled show openers. He was cool and said he could get me in despite me being a solid seven years underage.

Continue Reading “20 years after getting a face full of the Jesus Lizard, the sweat of Yow returns”

(Photo Courtesy Joshua Black Wilkins)

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Atlanta gospel preacher Rev. Johnny L. “Hurricane” Jones, has assembled a band of young musicians from the Atlanta rock community including Bradley Bailey (drums), Cameron Stuart (guitar) and Dan Beauregard (stand-up bass) to play a free show at Park Grounds in Reynoldstown on Thurs., Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. Those Kids (DJs Jacob Blaisdell and Josh Feigert) will be spinning rare gospel records before and after the show.

Jones has been the minister at The Second Mt. Olive Baptist Church for 53 years and hosts a radio show on WYZE-AM (1480) on the first and third Saturdays each month.

Jones has been recording his sermons every week since 1960, and on Dec. 8  Dust-to-Digital will release the first of two projected LPs of Jones’ sermons, called Jesus Christ from A to Z.

Rev. Johnny L. “Hurricane” Jones “One More Time” mp3

Park Grounds is located at 142 Flat Shoals Ave. 678-528-9901.

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Atlanta write-in mayoral candidate Dr. Tiffany Brown has released her official campaign song, by Alpharetta hip-hop artist Tazuh.

Call me a cynic, but something tells me that this song isn’t going to catapult her into the office of Atlanta’s highest elected official.

Key piece of lyrical poetry:  “She’s the one in your town. Puttin’ it down — walkin’ around. Hand-to-hand, politicking, tryin’ to meet our every demand. So don’t forget to vote ’cause time is ticking, man.”

“Vote for Tiffany Brown”

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FIXED GAZE: Alela Diane looks to a simpler place and time.

When not on the road, folk singer Alela Diane splits most of her time between Oregon and California, and a sense of place and geography plays a defining role in her lush songs. Her sophomore album, To Be Still, released earlier this year on Rough Trade Records, depicts the songwriter’s surroundings as vividly as it depicts the songwriter. “[My songs are] definitely informed by geography and where I am,” says the 26-year-old Portland, Ore., resident. “I definitely write about the things that are happening in that time of life, or reflecting back on dreams. Wherever I am, my songs will be shaped by the places I am.”

“Dry Grass & Shadows,” for instance, is one such tune. The gorgeously lilting song hopes for a return to a lost yet still attainable countryside, and Diane coos and keens over light banjo and guitar. And on To Be Still, Diane expanded her musical palette, growing beyond the basic acoustic guitar-and-vocals of her 2006 debut album, The Pirate’s Gospel. She credits the album’s recording process with influencing the sounds.

Continue Reading “Alela Diane makes herself at home”

(Photo Courtesy Rough Trade)

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In the liner notes to Vic Chesnutt’s ’07 full-length, North Star Deserter, Jem Cohen writes, “I make films, I’m no record producer. But I needed to bring these particular people together in this particular place… I thought they might hit it off.”
Cohen’s instincts served him well. North Star Deserter added wholly new dimensions to Chesnutt’s already vast body of songs, and by joining forces with Guy Picciotto (Fugazi) and members of A Silver Mt. Zion and God Speed You! Black Emperor, Chesnutt’s grim, avant-folk tendencies were pushed to maximum overdrive in squals of distortion and dramatic, symphonic majesty. But North Star Deserter was very much a construct of Jem Cohen — a personal vision of what Chesnutt’s albums should be, where songs, musicians and arrangements were put together like actors in a film. Chesnutt’s latest album, At the Cut, finds the same players who made North Star Deserter so bold and beautiful returning, this time to operate as a band sans Cohen’s direction.

Chad Radford:  Was the lineup for North Star Deserter really all part of Jem Cohen’s grand plan, or were you playing together before the idea for the album came about?

Guy Picciotto: That’s really how it all came together. I’ve actually known Vic since 1988. He was playing bass in a band that opened for the band I used to play in, Fugazi, at The 40 Watt Club. And actually, the other three guys in Fugazi played with Vic — maybe 10 years ago. They did an Olivia Newton-John cover together for a tribute project. They played “Have You Ever Been Mellow,” but I was out of town at the time, so I wasn’t part of that.

Before the North Star record I had never actually played with Vic, but I knew him and saw him every time we played in Athens. I was a huge fan of his records and always saw him when he came through town.

“Flirted With You All My Life”

“Philip Guston”

“Chain”

“Chinaberry Tree”

Vic Chesnutt (w/ Guy Picciotto of Fugazi and members of A Silver Mt. Zion, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Witchies, and Clare & the Reasons play the Earl on Sun. Nov. 1 $15. 8:00 p.m. 488 Flat Shoals Rd. 404-522-3950.

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CL’s Chante LaGon and Chad Radford chat about upcoming shows around Atlanta, including Hand of Doom at 529, Why? at Lenny’s and Vic Chesnutt at the Earl.

Check out Sound Menu for a more comprehensive list of local concerts.

Air Loaf is broadcast weekdays on 1690 WMLB-AM at approximately 8:10 a.m., 12:20 p.m. and 6:20 p.m.

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Kid Rock and country artists Joey+Rory have been added to the lineup for the Georgia Theatre benefit at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre, spearheaded by the Zac Brown Band on Fri., Oct. 30. Little Big Town, Shawn Mullins, Oliver Wood (of Medeski, Martin and Wood) and Aslyn are also scheduled to perform.

Tickets are available for $100 through Ticketmaster, by phone at 800-745-3000, or at the Fox Theatre box office located at 660 Peachtree St.

Proceeds will go directly to The Georgia Theatre Rehabilitation Fund, handled by The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, to rebuild the decommissioned Georgia Theatre after it caught on fire earlier this year.

… It seems like an awful lot of money to pay to have to suffer through a Kid Rock show, but hey, its for a good cause.

(Photo by Zack Arias)

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If anybody remembers Michel’le, the late ’80s/early ’90s R&B singer who worked with (and eventually had a son by) producer Dr. Dre, you might understand why Atlanta-based songwriter and artist the Dolldaze reminds me of her.

They sound nothing alike, mind you. But Michel’le has this helium-high speaking voice that’s the polar opposite of her rich, soulful singing voice. The difference in the Dolldaze’s speaking and singing voices isn’t quite that dramatic, but it’s interesting to hear how her Southern, round-the-way accent totally disappears once she begins singing.

But trust, that’s where the comparison between them ends. The self-penned song that the Dolldaze starts singing about 1:18 into the above video is one of the highlights from her recently released six-song EP, Acid Report: The Missing Peace. Titled “Let it Blow,” it features her signature blend of classic rock and soul. The traces of flamenco in her guitar strumming combine with her vocals in a way that reminds me of Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick singing “White Rabbit” for some odd reason. The alternating push-and-pull of the song’s changing rhythms builds a nice bit of tension, too.

Download Acid Report: The Missing Peace for free.

The Dolldaze performs tonight as part of the Think New 9 line-up featuring Sidestreet Ked, Grand Prize Winners From Last Year, Innate Forte, Lundy, Richelle L. Brown, Rico Wade, Dungeoneze and Pobody’s Nerfect. $10. 9 p.m. Drunken Unicorn, 736 Ponce de Leon Ave. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net.

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Which came first, the BET Hip-Hop Awards or Atlanta’s steady flow of garbage-ass rap music?

The chicken-or-the-egg question occurred to me as I watched last night’s broadcast of the awards show, which should’ve been renamed the Gucci Mane Awards for the number of performances (3?) featuring the East Atlanta-bred MC.

It typified a night in which the show took every possible opportunity to reference Atlanta — which is odd considering the crowd is made up entirely of industry fucks (artists, publicists, label reps, promoters, radio heads, etc.) and almost zero fans. (more…)

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Photographer Perry Julien caught these shots of Dinosaur Jr playing a free in-store at Criminal Records a couple of weeks back on Sat., Oct. 17.

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NOT SO VILE: Kurt Vile unveils his sophomore release.

Strange semantics surround the Philadelphia-born guitarist, vocalist and home-recording devotee Kurt Vile. His name isn’t an attempt to create a Johnny Rotten-like persona for his dreamy folk, pop and minimalist rock songs. Nor is it a play on 20th-century German composer Kurt Weill. It’s his family’s name, and there isn’t a hint of irony in his voice when he explains it away. “Some people are shocked that it’s real. Others just can’t believe it,” Vile says. “It never fails.”

But irony is thick when he sings, “You tell me a good man is hard to find. What are you blind? Nevermind. Let’s try to have a good time,” in “Dead Alive” from Childish Prodigy, his third proper album and first for Matador Records. The lyrics are Dylan-esque in their rambling construction, but juvenile in their lazy delivery. When taken alongside Vile’s starry-eyed guitar picking, swimming in reverb, other songs such as “Hunchback,” “Overnite Religion” and “Freak Train,” gel with clumsy beauty that’s as captivating as it is perplexing.

Continue Reading “Kurt Vile is no joke”

(Photo Courtesy Shawn Brackbill)

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Califone’s show at the Earl tonight has been canceled. Refunds for tickets are available at point of purchase.

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By Phillip Mlynar

Ask Donnis what makes him stand out from the swarming mass of rappers seeking a name for themselves, and the Atlanta-bred MC pauses to think before answering, “I tell my story, [and] my story’s totally different from anyone else’s story.”

Listen to the range of material on his debut mixtape album, Diary of an ATL Brave, however, and you might struggle to pinpoint that difference.

In rap, an artist’s backstory is often as important as the eventual byproduct. Part autobiography, part mythology, it fuels the fandom any artist must create if he intends to become a star. Most MCs use it to build up their street-cred. Before Eazy-E became a platinum-selling rapper (thanks to invaluable ghostwriting from Ice Cube), he was an ex-drug dealer who used the loot he earned in the streets of Compton, Calif., to finance his own label, Ruthless Records. Before 50 Cent dropped his multiplatinum debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, he was the Queens street salesman-turned-mixtape MC who got shot nine times by adversaries attempting to silence his mouthpiece for good. Before Lil Wayne became the self-proclaimed “best rapper alive,” he pretty much was a hip-hop prodigy who accidentally shot himself at age 12.

Or so the stories go.

Continue Reading “Donnis may need more than Fool’s Gold to truly shine”

(Photo Courtesy Fool’s Gold)

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